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Five Handy Home Medicines That You Did Not Know

December 24 2014

Popping a bunch of pills for common ailments can be tiresome, besides being unhealthy.
How about giving the pills a wide berth and trying stuff your grandma (perhaps great grandma) did?
Am sure you know spinach is healthy.
But did you know that spinach is more effective for sore throat than the routine salt water gargles?
Or that an egg has more than one usage than to be served on your plate?
Read on to find some more wacky and mind-boggling handy items that work as great medicines.

Aspirin those pimples away

Pimples and acne are every teenager's horror story and if you get them right before a special occasion, it is sure to put you in a bad mood. Well, not any more. You seem to have the solution right in your cabinet. Aspirin. Crush three tablets and mix with water to make a paste. Apply on the affected area. Keep it overnight. The pimple will positively subside and dry off by morning.

Crack an egg and smack down your fever

It might be a challenge to get medical help, if your child develops high fever in the wee hours of the night. Egg whites are handy at times like these. As absurd as it sounds, egg whites have properties that could potentially tune the thermometer down.

Just keep these three steps in mind:

Soak a cloth or a pair of socks in egg whites.

Place the soaked cloth on the soles of the feet or put the socks on.

When the cloth becomes warm, repeat the procedure, till the fever subsides.

Salt the sores

Do you often wake up at night clenching your feet in agony due to excruciating muscle pulls? Excessive gym workout sessions or a tiresome day at work can make your muscles sore. Reach out for salt. It has electrolytes that are great for soothing muscle aches. All you need is a pinch of black salt; mix it with lemon juice and have it for instant pain relief. You may also soak your sore feet in hot water mixed with Epsom salt for about 20 minutes to reduce muscle swelling.

Concoction your worries

Concoctions play a vital role in many Indian homes. Verbally passed down from generation to generation, a 'concoction' is a trustworthy grandma-quick-fix for many ailments. Here are some that supposedly work quite well for respiratory and stomach ailments.

Indigestion - Boil tea; add 1 tbsp of ginger and lemon juice, basil leaves and honey. This drink acts as a stomach cleanser. It works equally well for diarrhea.

Common cold - Combine equal parts of eucalyptus, peppermint and bergamot essential oils. Add them in boiling water and take steam inhalation. This could make your eyes water but would clear a blocked nose in a jiffy!

Cough - Salt water gargling is a popular remedy. Instead, gargle with spinach juice (after adding a dash of salt). This supposedly relieves you of an itchy and painful throat.

Travel with buddies

Travel related sicknesses are always a buzzkill especially if you are on a holiday. If a long drive makes you queasy or a boat ride makes you want to throw up, eat olives and sniff lemons! These travel buddies keep motion sickness at bay. Tannins in olives make the mouth dry, preventing nausea. At the first hint of 'something's not right', sniff on lemons or have lemon juice for instant relief. So now, cut down on your medical bills if you happen to bump into any one of these ailments. But, don't forget to get professional aid if the symptom persists!

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